Finding Our Way
by Marymel
Summary: Riley gets a surprise when the FBI come to help with a case...and thinks about her son.


**Jackson is my original character, but I don't own CSI.**

 **Mild spoiler for Immortality.**

 **Also, I finished this before my story The House, but I published the other story first. Sorry about the time jump.**

 **And I reference a story of mine from a few years back called Riley's Phone Call.**

 **I've had this idea for a while. I wanted to write a new Riley story (I've written one called Lucky Ones that I hope you like), and I thought about how Nick, Sara and Catherine have all met with the former Vegas CSI. I thought it might be interesting for her to see the former head CSI again. I've tried not to portray Riley as a total villain. And I wondered what she and Russell would have to talk about. So here's what I came up with! Hope you enjoy...and please review!**

Riley Adams rushed into her boss Peter Underwood's office. "We have a ransom note," she said as she handed the document to the man. The young son of a wealthy family was reported kidnapped, and Riley and the team were going over everything hoping to find a clue.

"The FBI will want to see this," Underwood said.

Riley groaned softly. "Do we really need them here?"

Underwood glared at the headstrong CSI. "Yes. The Cyber unit has tracked the suspect for a while."

"Fine," Riley sighed.

"Mr. Underwood?" Avery Ryan said as she came in.

Riley turned and sighed when she saw the head of the FBI Cyber Unit. When she saw the gentleman with her, Riley couldn't believe her eyes.

"D.B. Russell," he said as he shook Underwood's hand.

"Oh, yes. I remember you. Thanks for coming," Underwood said. "This is one of the CSIs you'll be working with. Riley Adams."

D.B. turned and smiled at the surprised woman. "We met..."

"Years ago," Riley said.

Underwood nodded. "That's right. You were with the crime lab in Vegas."

D.B. smiled and nodded. "Yes. I've been with the FBI for a year or so."

"What do we know?" Avery asked. Underwood started filling her in on the latest developments. Riley couldn't take her eyes off DB. She knew he'd been in Vegas with her son Jackson, and she wondered how Jackson was doing. D.B. remembered the woman as headstrong, but knew Greg didn't hate the biological mother of his son.

* * *

When an arrest was made and the child reunited with his family, D.B. saw Riley watching the family. He excused himself from Underwood and Avery and knocked on the door of the break room.

"May I join you?"

Riley glanced up and smiled softly. "Uh...sure." She gestured to the couch.

"Thanks," D.B. said. He sighed softly as he sat down.

Riley hesitantly smiled. "So...you're with the FBI now?"

"Yeah," D.B. said. "For about a year. It's going well."

"That's good," Riley said.

"Thank you. And I miss the Vegas family." He smiled sympathetically at the young woman.

Riley sighed deeply. "Jackson?"

D.B. nodded. "He's doing really well. Last time I was there, he couldn't stop talking about his family."

Riley smiled and nodded. "He loves his daddy."

"Yes, he does. You know...Nick took over as supervisor when I left."

"Yeah? He was practically supervisor when I was there," Riley said thoughtfully.

D.B. nodded. "First thing he did was promote Greg to assistant supervisor."

Riley looked up in surprise. "Really?" D.B. smiled and nodded. Riley blew out a breath. "Wow. Um...that's great. He's earned it."

"Yeah," D.B. agreed. "They're good. Got a great team."

"Morgan still there?" Riley asked. She pursed her lips and sighed, knowing Morgan was more of a mother than she was.

D.B. nodded. "Yeah. And Henry and Hodges are field agents too." When Riley looked up with wide eyes, D.B. added, "Sara promoted them. Uh, you ever meet Sara Sidle?"

"Yeah," Riley said. "She was here for a conference a couple of years ago. I could tell she loved Jackson." She looked away thoughtfully.

"She left to join Grissom," D.B. continued. "But promoted them before she left. She's co-assistant supervisor now, and Grissom consults the lab for entomology stuff." He smiled when he thought of Jackson. "He and Jackson can talk for hours."

Riley smiled sadly. "Everyone says he's Grissom Junior."

D.B smiled. "Anyway, Nick brought in someone that used to be DNA but is now a CSI. A Wendy...Simms, I think."

"Oh, cool," Riley said.

"Yeah. And Lindsey Willows is a CSI with the team."

"Catherine's daughter?"

"Yeah, she's a Level One. And...my son's girlfriend."

Riley smiled in surprise. "Really? Wow."

D.B. nodded and smiled. "Yeah, they've been together for a couple of years. Actually...Jackson brought them together."

"He did?"

"Yeah," D.B. said with a soft laugh. "Greg tried to get Charlie to babysit one day and couldn't get hold of him. Then Lindsey came over, and Charlie came over. Jackson just brought them together."

Riley smiled softly. "He really is doing well. He never met a stranger."

D.B. smiled at the young CSI. "Yes. And he's good. I almost didn't recognize him last time I was in Vegas. He's really grown."

"Yeah," Riley said quietly as she looked down at her hands. "I-I called Greg a while back. It was after his friend was attacked."

D.B. sighed and remembered his great friend Julie Finlay. "Yeah, that was a bad time."

Riley smiled sadly at the gentleman. "I'm so sorry about that."

"Thanks. Yeah I brought her to Vegas a few years ago after Catherine left to join the FBI."

"Yeah, she came here to help with a case," Riley said with a nod. "Do you still work with her?"

"No, actually she came back to Vegas. She's the lab director." D.B. watched the young woman's eyes raise in surprise.

"Oh," Riley said. "Th-That's good."

"Yeah, it is," D.B. said. He softly cleared his throat. "She told me about what you said in your exit interview."

Riley pursed her lips and nodded. "I know I came on board at a hard time for them. I apologized to Catherine when she was here. I-I just felt like I wasn't valued and everyone was still grieving...plus babysitting Langston..."

D.B. nodded. "One thing I learned about the team right away...they're a family."

"Yeah," Riley said as she nodded and looked down. "And...this may sound weird, but...I'm glad Jackson has that. He's got a family that loves him very, very much."

"Yes, he does," D.B. agreed. "And he's a wonderful kid."

Riley nodded. "I-I called him...well, called Greg a few years ago. I wanted to...I don't know, ask him to let me hear Jackson laugh or something. But Jackson answered." Riley cleared her throat. "He didn't recognize my voice, and I told him I was a friend of his dad's. We...we had a good talk."

"That's good," D.B. said with a nod.

"He...he sounded so grown up," Riley said, wiping away a stray tear.

D.B. smiled softly. "He is. He's got a family that loves him, he's really smart and kind."

Riley nodded and breathed deeply. "He's amazing."

"Yes, he is." D.B. reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "I don't think Greg would mind if..." He pulled a photograph from his wallet and handed it to Riley.

She gasped softly when she saw her son in the photo. "He really has grown."

"Yeah. And, if he's anything like his dad...and he is..." Riley looked up as D.B. continued. "He loves you."

Riley's eyes widened slightly. "Really?"

"Really! Greg has told me he doesn't hate you. How can he hate someone that gave him such an amazing gift like that?"

Riley's lower lip trembled as she smiled. "Thank you. Honestly, thank you!" She looked back at the photo. "He _is_ like him...right down to his beautiful eyes. I always thought he looked just like his daddy."

D.B. smiled. "Yes, he does."

"Thank you," Riley said as she handed the photograph back to D.B. "Greg sends me pictures still, but...I don't know. Just seeing how much he's grown and what a great kid he is..."

D.B. nodded as he took the photo. "You still miss him."

Riley nodded. "Yeah," she said just above a whisper. "Yeah. Maybe...maybe someday I'll call him again. Maybe even see him. But he has his family."

D.B. offered a sympathetic smile. "He understands."

Riley breathed deeply and softly smiled. "I hope so."

Clearing his throat, D.B. said, "Greg still has the same number."

Riley looked at him and softly smiled. "Yeah. I-I might call later. Thank you. Seriously, thank you."

"You're welcome," D.B. said with a warm smile. "Well, I should be going."

"Will you...if you talk to Greg before I do, will you tell him I love Jackson?"

D.B. offered the young woman a caring smile. "I will. And you can tell him yourself."

"I know." Riley smiled softly. "Just knowing he's happy and well...that means everything."

"Yes, it does."

"And maybe someday I'll see him, but...he has his family. Morgan's always been his mom."

D.B. nodded. "She's a good mom. She loves him very much. She and Greg both do."

Riley nodded in understanding. "They do. They're a wonderful family. Maybe...maybe someday I'll talk to him again."

"Maybe," D.B. said with a sympathetic smile. "It really was good to see you again."

"You too," Riley said with a soft smile. "And...thank you."

D.B. nodded and left. Riley breathed deeply and thought about her son. Even though she'd given up custody, she still loved him very much. As much as she missed him, knowing he was safe, loved and happy meant the world.

Riley wrapped her arms around herself and thought of how happy she was that her son was truly loved. And she promised herself that she would talk to him again...someday.

 **The End.**


End file.
